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Thanksgiving In America
The fourth Thursday in November is a national day of thanksgiving in the United States. The tradition is a very old one, dating to the arrival of the first English settlers in North America in the 17th century who, after their first successful harvests, paused to celebrate their bounty and give thanks for surviving their first terrible winter in what was then a wilderness.
Falling in the autumn, Thanksgiving has much in common with harvest holidays in other nations and cultures, such as Vietnam’s Trung Thu [[CHOONG TWO]] celebration and Homowo, the annual yam festival in Ghana. Still, with its turkey dinners, family gatherings, football games and parades, there’s something about the day that is distinctively American. Together with July 4th, when the U.S. marks its independence from Great Britain, it’s a truly national holiday that includes all citizens in a common purpose, regardless of religious, political or ethnic persuasion.
It also is a time for people to look back at the year, take stock and think about the future. With our nation dealing with crises in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and West Africa, the looming uncertainties of 2015 likely will be on many minds today. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the first official Thanksgiving amid similar serious circumstances, the American Civil War.
But like their colonial ancestors, Americans are essentially an optimistic people. Surrounded by friends and family, today as in the past, they will enter into the spirit of the day, giving thanks for life’s blessings and the promise of the future living in a free land.
詞匯解析
impression
難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞
英漢解釋
n.印象；感覺；模仿
n.印跡；印刷
參考例句
用作名詞 (n.)
Her gentleness has given me a deep impression.
她的親切給我留下了很深的印象。
The first edition of this dictionary has an impression of 10,000 copies and the total price is 1,000,000 yuan.
這部詞典第一版印刷一萬冊(cè)，碼洋為一百萬元。
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available
難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞
英漢解釋
adj.可利用的；可得到的；有空的；有效的；<貶>【政】有資格的，適合的
參考例句
用作形容詞 (adj.)
The Prime Minister was not available for comment.
首相無暇作出評(píng)論。
The round trip ticket is available for two months.
返程票兩個(gè)月有效。
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storage
難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞
英漢解釋
n.保管；貯藏；倉庫；保管費(fèi)；[計(jì)]存儲(chǔ)器
參考例句
用作名詞 (n.)
The best place for storage of money is a bank.
銀行是存錢最好的地方。
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petroleum
難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞
英漢解釋
n.石油
參考例句
用作名詞 (n.)
Indonesia is abundant in petroleum deposits.
印尼的石油蘊(yùn)藏量豐富。
Any new source of energy will be welcome, as there is a shortage of petroleum.
由于石油短缺，任何一種新能源都會(huì)受歡迎。
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outlook
難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞
英漢解釋
n.景色；前景；展望；觀點(diǎn)
參考例句
用作名詞 (n.)
From my study window I have a pleasant outlook over mountains and valleys.
從我書房的窗子我看到了高山和峽谷宜人的景色。
As prices have dropped lower and lower, the outlook looks black for many companies in the city.
當(dāng)價(jià)格一再下跌，對(duì)市內(nèi)許多公司來說前景大為不妙。
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defend
難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞
英漢解釋
v.防守；防護(hù)；辯護(hù)
參考例句
用作動(dòng)詞 (v.)
Some players are better at defending.
有些運(yùn)動(dòng)員較擅長打防衛(wèi)。
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altitude
難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞
英漢解釋
n.高度；海拔；高地
參考例句
用作名詞 (n.)
We are flying at an altitude of 20000 feet.
我們的飛行高度是20000英尺。
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